Fabrican is developing a pioneering a new method of manufacturing T-shirts. Using robotic sprayers, the manufacturing process is 100% automated and readily customisable to vary colour, design and size without the need for expensive tooling. The technology realises the dream of mass customization by making possible on-demand manufacturing of made to measure T-shirts in colours and styles selected by the wearer.
The sprayed T-shirt is also a new experience for wearers, being a totally new fabric with a customised, seamless fit. Fabrican’s patented Spray-on fabric technology creates T-shirts that can be integrated with wearable technology or diagnostic devices that can monitor the health of the wearer.
Comparatively low capital requirements mean that the technology offers local, small-scale ‘pop-up’ manufacturing for entrepreneurs in less-developed countries. Local manufacturing in turn means opportunities for economic development and T-shirts with a reduced carbon footprint over imported garments.
The high bio-origin content of the fabric means that it is mostly biodegradable and compostable. It is 100% recyclable by means of a very simple process of redissolving used sprayed fabric items and re-spraying material for new T-shirts or other articles of clothing. Unlike conventional methods of dyeing fabrics, which consume high volumes of water, pigments for the sprayable T-shirts require no water, further enhancing the manufacturing technology’s environmental profile.